You can't move in Rome without touching history. But this is not some dry, carefully preserved museum, it's a thriving vibrant city. It's a great place to just wander around, never knowing what unexpected delight is going to appear as you turn the next corner. There are some things, however, that you cannot miss.
The Colosseum is where gladiators entertained the people of Rome for around 400 years. The tours give a pretty good idea of what it must have been like as men and beasts fought to the death in front of 70,000 spectators.
The Pantheon was built less than a century after the birth of Christ as a place of pagan worship. Around 500 years later it was converted into a Christian church. The breathtaking building remains almost perfectly preserved.
The Trevi Fountain is the best in a city filled with beautiful fountains. Pitch a coin over your shoulder and, so the story goes, you're guaranteed a return trip to Rome. Toss two coins and you'll find love.
Santa Maria della Concezione a Montecalvario is a place you will never forget. Beneath the church are five rooms filled with the bones of thousands of Capuchin friars. Some bones decorate the walls, others are neatly stacked and a few complete skeletons remain dressed in the habits of the order.
The Vatican, center of the Roman Catholic religion, is a separate state within the city of Rome. As well as seeing some exquisite renaissance art and architecture, it is possible to have an audience with the Pope. Tickets can be requested by e-mail from Santa Susanna, the home of the American Catholic Church in Rome. The website is www.santasusanna.org
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